


these are the things we lost in the fire

by firebrandtrickster



Category: RWBY
Genre: F/M, Grimdark, I cried while writing this, I'm warning you, Other, Violence, dark as fuck, sad as fuck
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-16
Updated: 2015-07-03
Packaged: 2018-03-23 07:01:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 15
Words: 2,618
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3758848
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/firebrandtrickster/pseuds/firebrandtrickster
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What if Cinder Fall won and ruled all of Remnant?<br/>A dark chronicle of what could have been.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Cinder Fall

**Cinder Fall was the High Empress of all Remnant.** They called her the Flame. True to her name, thousands had died at her hand. There were a few obstacles along the way, but she broke them in the end. They all bowed down to her now. Even the Grimm regarded her with a grudging respect and stayed in the woods, away from her kingdoms. She had won.


	2. Ruby Rose

Ruby was the heiress to the Remnant Empire, and apprenticed by the Flame herself. She fought hard at first. She truly did. But she had suffered for so long and so much that in the end...  giving up was the only choice. All she had was burned at the hands of Cinder Fall. Although she pleaded for death, it would not be given to her.

She was too important to the grand clockwork of Cinder's plans to kill.

-

She practiced with the throwing knives in the training room of the palace. She pretended the target was Cinder Fall's chest and she hit her mark, over and over again.

"Nice work." a familiar voice responded behind her. 

She turned and saw Roman Torchwick. "Well, someone looks positively murderous." he commented. "Still plotting to kill Cinder and get your revenge?" he demurred. "Yes." she responded.

"I want her dead."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapters are intentionally short.  
> I hope you enjoy.


	3. Blake Belladonna

Blake had fled to Vacuo with Sun and the others who had survived the attack of the Flame. She knew in her heart that she could not save those imprisoned by the Flame. But the choice she had made haunted her day and night.

-

She closed her eyes, fearful of the nightmares that would come to her. That night, she dreamt of Ruby. Ruby appeared to be learning weaponry from Cinder Fall. It shocked her to the core, seeing Ruby so compalecent. Then she was facing Ruby on the battlefield. Ruby looked older, more battleworn than anything else. Blake pleaded for Ruby to come to her senses. Her pleas went unanswered. The two preformed a deadly dance of swords and Dust. Blake felt a sharp point stab through her. She looked down and saw blood, crimson blood flowing from her chest. She looked up and saw the scarred, crying face of Ruby. 

"I'm sorry, Blake. I am so so sorry."

"It's alright."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> >:D


	4. Weiss Schnee

Weiss Schnee was the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company. Her memories had been altered by the Servants of the Flame, led by Neo - she'd been rewritten into a strict authoritarian. She probably wouldn't recognize her old friends if she saw them. 

-

Her company had a monopoly on the whole Dust industry, and the only way one could acquire Dust was through the SDC.

That was a fact she was personally proud of.

As she stood in her office, looking down at the city below through the windows, a woman came into the office. She turned and looked into the eyes of the Flame's Apprentice, Ruby Rose. The name brought with it repressed memories of a place called Beacon Academy and a team called RWBY. They were set aside as false fantasies. Weiss had no time for daydreams. She had a company to run and profits yet to be made. "The Flame requests private commission of a cache of Dust. You will, of course, be payed a substantial amount of wealth for this commission." Ruby stated in a cold, harsh tone. "Indeed. We will begin work on this commission immediately. When exactly may I expect the profit to be delivered to my account?" Weiss replied quickly, wasting no time in answering. "The profits have been delivered already. Weiss Schnee, you'll be a rich woman by the year's end." Ruby answered. "Very well." Weiss said. And Ruby left with swiftness.  

Weiss was pondering how to get the amount of Dust the Flame required. Perhaps employ more child labor? Yes. She would also increase the working hours from 6 hours a day to 16. She _would_ prove to the Flame that the Schnee Dust Company was superior to all other companies in the whole of Remnant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if Weiss is OOC. I haven't written her much.  
> Also sorry for short chapter. Been really busy today, so yeah.


	5. Yang Xiao Long

The day that the Hunters and Huntresses lost was known to Ruby as a sadder, more personal day: the day that the only family she had left departed.

-

Cinder Fall herself marched towards Ruby and Yang. "Now, give me Ruby and nobody will be harmed." Cinder whispered calmly. Yang stood in front of Ruby. "Over my dead body. You will never have her!" Yang nearly yelled. Cinder smiled, walking closer.   
  
A fight ensued between Cinder and Yang. The two were neck to neck, one never having an advantage over the other. And then Ruby heard the sound of steel through flesh, Yang's last words of "I love you, Ruby," and the sick tumbling of her corpse to the ground. And then Ruby was just  _broken._

She managed to escape and bury Yang. The rock that was her gravemarker said simply: Yang Xiao Long. Her soul and heart burn bright still. She sat there beside the grave for a night and a day before Cinder came to take her away. And as she walked away, she turned and saw Yang standing by the grave. 

"I'll watch over you even in death!" she yelled.


	6. Roman Torchwick

Roman Torchwick was the Flame's Advisor in matters pertaining to money, war, and Cinder's hold upon all of Remnant. He was the spark to her ember, and her reign would not last without him. He found it fascinating to observe everything happening.  That night, he was summoned to the courtroom. He bowed low before the throne. "Torchwick. How fares my reign?" Cinder began. "Last I checked; the rebels in Vacuo **still**  continue to evade us, Ruby still wants to murder you, and the shipment of Dust is on its way." Torchwick updated. "Hmm. Send out more search parties. And as for Ruby... it is essential that I remind her of all she has lost to me. I will break her in the end." Cinder replied.  

-

The next night, he heard screams coming from Ruby's room. Roman rolled his eyes. Ruby's nightmares were returning. He couldn't blame her, really. What happened to her sister was unfortunate. A small seed of pity began to grown in what was left of his damned soul. He locked it away before it blossomed any more. 

No rest for the wicked, he supposed.


	7. Neo

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Neo speaks in lowercase and parentheses (like this)

Neo was the leader of the Servants of the Flame, the Flame's military. They were the fuel to Cinder's flame. Neo, unlike most of Cinder's inner circle, reveled in the suffering the Flame brought upon all of Remnant. She was a sadist in the purest sense of the word. Few soldiers in the Servants of the Flame ever saw her face, and her orders were issued to the High Commander of the Flame's Army: Pyrrha Nikos. They'd brainwashed Pyrrha long ago.

-

Currently, she was in a meeting with Pyrrha. She spoke through thoughts and feeling and raw emotion. This ability assisted Neo greatly when needing to speak from long distances. "Your orders, ma'am?" Pyrrha saluted. (evening, pyrrha,) Neo thought. "Evening, ma'am. Your orders?" Pyrrha responded. (patience) Neo felt at Pyrrha. (my orders are this: kill jaune arc) (if i find that you have spared him my reaction will be swift and lethal) (am i understood) Neo transferred in mere minutes. "Yes, ma'am." Pyrrha replied. **(am i understood) (it is to my knowledge you have dealt with him before) (he will not be spared the blade) (i shall repeat again)**

**(am i fucking understood) **

"Yes, ma'am." Pyrrha managed to grit through her teeth.

-


	8. Nora Valkyrie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren talks in bolded letters.

-

Nora Valkyrie was part of the Resistance in Vacuo. Her personality had transformed from the carefree optimist most knew at Beacon to a serious, loyal firebrand. She had a personal bone to pick with the Flame. Her hatred for Cinder kept her awake and alive.

-

She had just returned from a rescue mission. Her lover, Ren, had been stolen back from the clutches of the Flame. The rebels were in their hideout in the woods.

"Ren? What did they do to you? You look unharmed." Blake asked.

Ren turned away, his eyes closing solemnly. He opened his mouth to speak and all that came out was an odd breathy noise. Nora began to silently cry. The Servants of the Flame had cut his tongue out. Someone got a pencil and some spare sheets of paper. "Is there anything we should know?" Sun, the leader, asked Ren. Ren began to write. 

 **"Pyrrha is brainwashed. The Servants are issued orders from Neo through her."** Ren wrote. "Shit. We sent Jaune into the Fortress of the Flame to get Pyrrha back." Sun noted.   **"Team CVFY has escaped and is heading our way currently."** was the second thing Ren wrote. He paused. Tears flowing from his eyes, he wrote his last words for the evening.

**"Jaune is dead."**

-


	9. Pyrrha Nikos

Pyrrha Nikos was indeed the High Commander of the Flame's Army. Not by choice, however. She'd been forced into the role, same as Ruby. And she hated every minute of it; from Neo mind-screaming at her to having innocents killed. 

-

She had been given the command: Kill Jaune. He was here, in this palace. Somewhere. She ran. Her heart was iron; her blade would not waver.

-

Jaune strode into the Flame's Fortress, the cathedral to sin and debauchery.

"Pyrrha! Where are you?" he screamed. As Jaune walked into the courtroom, he was pleasantly surprised. Pyrrha stood in the courtroom, silently. "Pyrrha. It's me. Let's go." Jaune asked calmly. His question remained unanswered. Pyrrha flew at him, blade unsheathed. He managed to block, just barely. His eyes were filled with horror. "Pyrrha? What have they done to you?" he asked, his voice trembling. Again, he went unanswered. Pyrrha stabbed Jaune through the chest.He looked up at her."Pyrrha, Pyrrha, I love you, Pyrrha." were Jaune's last words.

As he looked at Pyrrha, his consciousness fading, he saw her mouth the words  _I love you too._

Jaune Arc died with a smile on his face that day, killed by the very woman he loved so much. Pyrrha lifted his corpse up into her arms, kissing him upon the lips with a delicate manner. And then she screamed with **anger** in her voice and **poison** in her thoughts. She wanted the Flame's blood to stain her hands, she wanted the Flame to suffer at the end of her blade. 


	10. Mercury Black

Mercury Black was the leader of the Vacuo search party. If he were to find the rebels as the Flame desired, he would be richly rewarded indeed. It was essential that they increase the radius and intensity of their hunt. One way or another, he would hunt them down and slaughter them one by one. A soldier had just come into his presence and told him that they had lost all trace of said rebels.

It appeared he would have to take some  **motivational** measures.

-

He'd killed the soldier in plain sight of all where he stood.

They had found some valuable information in their hunt from a passerby that they had brutally tortured. 

"They're hiding in the woods like wild Grimm, I see. Well, if they want to hide like Grimm, then they'll be slaughtered like Grimm." Mercury grinned wickedly.


	11. Emerald Sustrai

Emerald Sustrai had become one of the Flame's top assassins since the fall of the former Vale government. She was quiet as a shadow, but deadlier than any foot soldier in the Servants of the Flame. Many citizens, whether rebel supporters or troublesome Faunus or even innocent people, found themselves killed by her hand. 

She had resentment boiling in her like a storm, however. She wanted to be the heir to the Remnant Empire. But Ruby was appointed, instead of her. Ruby didn't even _want_ the role in the first place. She almost felt as if the Flame held her with scorn, only allowing her to slaughter innocents out of spite. She wanted to bring this up to Cinder's face, but she knew that her worries would fall on deaf ears.

So she went to the one person she knew would partly listen, even if he pretended not to. 

-

"Y'know, Emerald, I got buisness to attend to. Those new taxes won't sign themselves." Torchwick sighed. "But.." Emerald began. "No. You are not gonna start this up again. I get it. You want power? You have to learn to do two things: shut your mouth and manipulate." Torchwick hissed. "Then teach me." Emerald asked.

 _This is gonna be fun._ Torchwick thought with glee.

He smirked. "Very well. I accept." 


	12. Ozpin

Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy, was dead.

He'd been killed long ago.

Before the Fall of Beacon, he stood in his office. He had heard of the invasion that Cinder Fall had launched. He calmly sipped his coffee and watched as all of Beacon burned to ash and ruin. He stood in silence, praying that it would all end well. 

Cinder walked in, at that moment.

He died silently, his cup shattering to the ground.

Blood stained his glasses, and a serene smile was spread across his face.

Cinder walked out, leaving the corpse of Ozpin bleeding on the ground.


	13. Sun Wukong

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sun takes up arms against the Flame.  
> A new ally arrives at the rebel's base.

Sun Wukong was the leader of the rebels. He had seen what the Flame had done to Remnant close-up as he went through the ruins of villages in Vale and Vacuo, treating the sick and the wounded when he could. 

He hated the Flame with an unholy venom that coursed through his veins and made his heart cold to the touch.

The only entity that could calm him and keep him from overworking was Blake. He loved Blake dearly, and if the Flame took her away nothing would stop Sun from coming to strangle the devious, tyrannical bitch of a queen. 

-

"Ok, guys! We've got a new ally and sister-in-arms over here!" Sun yelled. He gestured to a person with very, very long tresses of black hair and a Grimm mask.

"Meet the Raventhorn." he beamed with pride.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ((Why haven't I updated in so long? Because I hate writing this, that's why. It's become a fucking chore to write.))


	14. Raven Branwen

-

Raven Branwen marched into the Fortress with a grim determination. She would carry out what Yang could not. On behalf of Yang, she would save Ruby from her pyre of suffering and grief. A thousand armies could not stop her.

-

Cinder Fall sat upon the throne, with Ruby at her side. It was the calm before the storm. The doors to the courtroom swung open, and in marched Raven Branwen, known as the Raventhorn by some. "The Raventhorn shows her mask at last." Cinder smirked.

Raven unsheathed her sword silently.


	15. The Flame

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ... at last.
> 
> the final chapter.

Cinder Fall was enraged. She was sprawled on the floor of the court room, reaching for her crown. Raven's attack had wounded her deeply. She reached as far as she could.... but the heel of a shoe stomped upon her hand with force, crushing the bones in her hand. She looked up. There stood Pyrrha, looking every bit the part of a vengeful warrior empress.

"The rebels are burning your reign down as we speak. All who frequented your inner circle are dead now. Including Torchwick, the scheming bastard you called your right hand. I digress, however: You can only begin to feel the suffering and loss you have made others feel." Pyrrha spat.   
" _Spare me,_ Pyrrha! I shall repent, I shall repent, I shall repent all of my deeds!" Cinder began to rant.

Pyrrha grabbed Cinder by the throat, staring mercilessly into her eyes.  **"Never."** Pyrrha growled in a feral tone. She pulled out her blade and in one swift motion beheaded the Flame. 

-

Pyrrha strode out of the courtroom, blood staining her hands and blade. She lifted the Flame's head to her face. And she began to laugh the wicked laugh of one who has conquered. The war was won, the Flame dead...

Blood begets blood, however.

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank the fucking god and goddess. It's over. (Massive Hint about my next fic: It will involve vampires.)

**Author's Note:**

> >:D


End file.
